Professional Neurologist Interview Preparation Guide

Download PDF

anencephaly (aprosencephaly) CNS malformation involving failure of closure of the cephalic end of the neural tube, resulting in absence of the forebrain and cerebrum; rudimentary brainstem may be present so that reflex actions such as breathing and responses to sound or touch may occur

atonic seizure (drop attack) generalized seizure characterized by sudden loss of muscle tone and strength; may cause the head to drop suddenly, objects to fall from the hands, or the legs to lose strength, with falling and potential injury

An invasive study in which a catheter (a small tube) is placed in the artery and contrast material is injected to which makes the blood vessels visible on an X-Ray image. The catheter is inserted in the groin into the femoral artery (the artery to the leg) through a needle, and is guided into the arteries in the neck and head.

agnosia inability to recognize and interpret objects, people, sounds, or smells despite intact primary sense organs (e.g., inability to identify a sound despite intact hearing); typically results from damage to the occipital or parietal lobe

aseptic meningitis syndrome characterized by headache, neck stiffness, low grade fever, and Cerebro Spinal Fluid lymphocytic pleocytosis in the absence of an acute bacterial pathogen; often used synonymously with viral meningitis, but also incudes meningeal inflammation due to various drugs (e.g., NSAIDs) or diagnostic procedures (e.g., angiography); atypical bacterial, fungal, parasitic, or parameningeal infection; neoplastic processes; and various systemic disorders

The intervertebral disc - cartilaginous cushion found between the vertebrae of the spinal column. It may bulge beyond the vertebral body and compress the nearby nerve root, causing pain. The terms "slipped disc", "ruptured disc" and "herniated disc" are often used interchangeably even though there are subtle differences.

alpha motor neurons large motor neurons that innervate extrafusal skeletal muscle fibers alpha-synuclein protein expressed predominantly in the CNS that when aggregated, can result in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multisystems atrophy

Slight dilatation on the common carotid artery at its bifurcation containing nerve cells sensitive to blood pressure. Stimulation can cause slowing of the heart, vasodilatation and a fall in blood pressure.

Anton's syndrome form of cortical blindness in which the patient is unaware of/denies the visual impairment; due to a lesion of the occipital lobe extending from primary visual cortex into visual association cortex

Crossing of visual fibers as they head toward the opposite side of the brain. For each optic nerve most of the visual fibers cross to the opposite side, while some run directly backward on each side without crossing.

autoregulation physiological process by which blood vessels change caliber to maintain constant cerebral blood flow over a wide range of cerebral perfusion pressures axial transverse plane producing a cross-section of the body or head

anterior cerebral artery a branch of the internal carotid artery; supplies blood to the medial aspect of the cerebral cortex (leg area predominant), some areas of the frontal lobe, corpus callosum, caudate, and the anterior limb of the internal capsule

afferent pupillary defect (Marcus-Gunn pupil) pupillary dilation in the eye with a pre-chiasmic optic pathway lesion (e.g., optic neuritis) in response to shining a light in the damaged eye after first shining it in the normal eye

This device is a pump that is inserted into the main vessel of the body (the aorta) to help the heart deliver blood to critical organs such as the brain or kidneys.

A medical imaging report that shows the blood vessels leading to and in the brain, obtained by injecting a dye or contrast substance through a catheter.

Loss of sensation of touch, position sense and movement on the side of a spinal cord lesion, with loss of pain sensation on the other side. Caused by a lesion limited to one side of spinal cord.

A device (usually a long, thin, flexible tube) inserted through the skin into the cerebrospinal fluid space of the lower back; provides a method of draining cerebrospinal fluid.

anosognosia lack of awareness of or indifference to one’s own neurological deficit, seen with nondominant parietal lobe lesions

In the case of a body cell, a reversion to a more primitive condition. A term used to denote the alteration in cell character that constitutes malignancy.

The nerve formed from the brachial plexus that supplies muscles in the anterior forearm and thumb, as well as sensation of the hand. It may be compressed or trapped at the wrist in carpal tunnel syndrome.

A diagnostic imaging technique in which a computer reads X-rays to create a three-dimensional map of soft tissue or bone.

autonomic pertaining to the autonomic nervous system, which controls bodily functions that are not under conscious control (e.g., heartbeat, breathing, sweating)

A non-invasive study that is conducted in a magnetic resonance imager (MRI). The magnetic images are assembled by a computer to provide an image of the arteries in the head and neck.

Space under a ligament in wrist through which the median nerve enters the palm of the hand.

Loss of sensation of a body part or of the body induced by the administration of a drug.